The Medlicott Medal is awarded annually for outstanding services and contributions to history. This year the Medal went to Professor Catherine Hall, who is Emerita Professor of Modern British Social and Cultural History at University College London. Professor Hall has a long-established academic record in feminist history and empire and post-colonial history. She was a professor of history at UCL during a key development period and was the principal director of two key research projects that led to the creation of the Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slave-ownership, also at UCL. The outcome of those projects and of the centre was the creation of a database that was the culmination of a huge research project which enabled anyone of any background, race or identity to explore their own personal connections to the slave societies of the Caribbean.

Those awarded the medal are asked to give a lecture or talk on an area of their historical scholarship or an area of issue in history that they feel is worthy of special attention. Professor Hall gave a powerful and provocative lecture titled 'Thinking Reparatively About Public History', addressing some of the issues of the legacies of racism created by the transatlantic slave trade and the narratives of its abolition. She also raised questions about what reparations might look like, and what forms a sense of justice and understanding could take. 

HA Members can now watch it in full below:

If you're unable to see the film below, please use the link for your Membership type:
Historian members | Primary members | Secondary members | Student members